Drinks with Kiko Matos

If you have a Facebook account or TV, for the past few months, you might be reading and hearing actor Kiko Matos’ name. He was involved in some sort of scuffle with actor Baron Geisler at my friends’ bar and restaurant, Tomato Kick, but hey, that has been reported, publicized, and talked about for the nth time so I won’t expound on that anymore… umaydotcom. LOL! Let’s get to know more about who he is as an actor as I get to know him more as a person.

Kiko joined this search called MTB’sTV Idol Ur D’ Man from then noontime variety show Magandang Tanghali Bayan. He won second place and started a career in acting after that. Kiko did a bunch of series guestings at ABS-CBN, and he was at a time paired with a young Shaina Magdayao. He played lead opposite Solenn Huessaff in the movie Mumbai Love, which also starred Jayson Gainza, Martin Escudero, Raymond Bagatsing, Jun Sabayton, and my Tito Ronnie Lazaro. Tito Ronnie casted Kiko in his film directorial debut movie Edna, which shooting began immediately after they were done with Mumbai Love. He did a few more movies and TV guestings after that, then silence. It must be frustrating for an actor not to be able to get projects, hell; just the same as it is must be for us writers not to be able to articulate a story when our deadline is due. Fast-forward to where we are now, after that URCC match, I asked him, “Did it help out in any way, all the stories, the reactions of people?” He smiled and said, “It did, actually. It turned something negative into a positive. And to be honest, what do I have to lose?” The boy is a risk taker, not afraid to start fresh if things don’t work out in his favor. Oh and speaking of starting fresh, he’s seriously training now for his next fight this year. Not with another actor, but with a legit fighter. He’s training for an amateur fight competition scheduled tentatively by the end of this year.

We met at a common friend’s restaurant at Teacher’s Village. The last time I was at Flying House it was still…well, a house. Queso guitarist 8 Toleran, who owns the restaurant, lived there with Parokya ni Edgar’s Chito Miranda, but now, it’s totally unrecognizable to me since it has been converted into a restaurant. I ordered their Southern Fried Chicken with Bacon Gravy sauce. BACON GRAVY! Come on, man! It’s good! But I had Kiko help me finish the thing ‘cause it’s huge. I asked Kiko beforehand what’s his favorite drink and he said milk. Usually, I would try whatever drink my featured interviewee would drink but I’m lactose intolerant so I had to pass on this one. Read on to find out who Kiko would bring to life for a day, the sweetest thing that he has ever done, and how he spends his weekends.

HOW DID WE MEET?

Kiko’s version:

We met at Tomato Kick. I forgot what event it was but I was invited to give free bola that night. All my drinks were paid for courtesy of TK plus they gave me pamasahe money. Raket din.

My version:

Correct! I met him probably a few weeks after that “brawl” that he got himself involved in at the same bar and restaurant. Our common friend Ping Medina introduced him to me. We shook hands and told him that I’ve heard of him, who hasn’t really during that time, especially when I’m friends with the guy that he had that brawl with? But aside from that, a few of my actor friends told me that he’s actually a pretty nice person that’s why they were all surprised about his involvement in that incident. We spent the entire night talking and yes, he is actually nice, decent, and articulate. So WTF?! A ewan. Buhay nila yan. But now, he’s a newfound friend, and it’s nice to have new people to get to know.

At Tomato Kick with Alex Medina and Carlo Bernardino

IF YOU CAN BRING A DEAD PERSON TO LIFE TO SPEND AN ENTIRE DAY WITH, WHO WOULD IT BE?

KIKO: It’s about my connection with the artist. When I was in a dark stage of my life, I was really so negative. I was also against the idea of God. I remember having so much hate and anger; I was very rebellious. And then I was introduced to his music, and it made me think and question a lot of things. There’s this one song of his called “Positive Vibration,” and there’s a line there that says “If you get down and you quarrel everyday/ You’re saying prayers to the devils, I say” and it just hit me that maybe that’s the reason that I have hate and anger in my life resulting to the fact that everybody hated me, even my mom, as well as my entire family. Kaya nahiya naman ako, I thought about the things that I’ve been doing wrong. Basta, there’s a lot of situations in my life that I ended up reflecting using the music of Bob Marley.

“As a citizen, I will only do what I can; I’ll just follow the law. I just don’t want to get too much involved.”

WHAT WOULD IT TAKE FOR YOU TO GET REALLY MAD?

KIKO: If it involves family and friends, but if it’s just me? I can handle it. If the insult is towards me, I can take it. Pero kapag family and friends, yan na yung magdidilim yung paningin ko.

WHAT’S THE SWEETEST THING THAT YOU’VE EVER DONE TO ANYONE?

KIKO: Ayoko, kinikilig ako.

D: *rolls eyes*

KIKO: When I fell in-love with my bestfriend [laughs].

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT ALL THESE EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLINGS THAT’S BEEN HAPPENING IN OUR COUNTRY?

KIKO: My thought during election was regardless what poles dictated; I knew then that Duterte was going to win. Ever since I read about him and researched on him, I knew at that moment that he’s going to be our next president. He hits the nail on the head when he answers questions, and it’s also what most Filipinos want to hear. Our country is a very corrupted country, from the highest official, down to the lowest. Gusto ng lahat maglamangan. We have set of laws, which were never followed so I think right now the best solution to everything is to strictly discipline people. You go to other countries, when you’re caught with drugs, you’ll be given death penalty. The extrajudicial killings are out of control but sadly, it’s also inevitable. Because it was sort of a mandate given by our president, and the man said his word, and he’s the type that would not back down. We could just hope and pray that there’s some kind of justice served to some of these people. As a citizen, I will only do what I can; I’ll just follow the law. I just don’t want to get too much involved.

“I just take it easy on the weekends. On Sundays, I go to church. And if I really don’t have to go out on a Saturday, I just stay at home.”

WHO IS YOUR HERO?

KIKO: Bob Marley

D: Seryoso ba ito?

KIKO: Yeah! He saved my life.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU LAUGHED SO HARD THAT YOU ALREADY CRIED?

KIKO: Recently with Maria (Kiko’s girlfriend), my brother, and cousin. We stayed up all night. We were laughing about some tongue twister in Tagalog. Someone’s laugh was just contagious so tuloy tuloy na, di na natapos.

HOW HAVE YOU BEEN SPENDING YOUR WEEKENDS LATELY?

KIKO: I just take it easy on the weekends. On Sundays, I go to church. And if I really don’t have to go out on a Saturday, I just stay at home.

IF YOU CAN SPEND AN ENTIRE WEEK NOT DOING ANYTHING, WHERE WOULD IT BE?

KIKO: Antipolo, at my mom’s farm. I drive a motorbike, in Antipolo, I can go to Quezon from my mom’s house, and if not Quezon, I can go to Tanay, Rizal.

WHY IS MILK YOUR FAVORITE DRINK?

KIKO: I’ve always drank milk since I was a kid. I’m a very sentimental person. Anything that related to my childhood, me growing up, I treasure it. I’m big on nostalgia. Every time I drink milk, it reminds me of my innocence.